After finishing up the formal reseach and patent search, now it is the time to start making the design, that’s why the title of this post is called get ready…set…hand on. Blossom Biomedical Design (BBD) team is going to gather all the materials, and put their hands on the materials and start designing. In order to start designing and putting materials together, one must watch an expert to have an idea of how will the final design look like. Although there are many surgical face mask on the internet yet it will look different when a person designs and makes one. Therefore, it is better to watch a video on the basics of how to make a surgical design. In the video, a woman shows tutorials of how to make a face surgical mask using basic materials like scissors, threads, and elastic, rulers and fitting ruler. Although BBD team is using different materials like instead of elastic is using strap bras, but in some parts the team has to use sewing skills to sew parts together and the video will be helpful to give a basic idea of how to make a mask. The video is very helpful because it gives facial sizes and measurement. The women then start drawing the measurements on paper and putting in on fabric so it can be cut around it. The video is also helpful because the woman shows facial measurements and sizes.

In Making the design, BBD will use fabric, filter,strap bra, scissors threads, and sewing machine or a person who know how to sew. BBD will keep in mind to use reusable materials as the fabric, and the team has to keep in mind that the mask can be washed without the filter with it because the filter was washed it could damage its materials and effectiveness.

Another great advice I found as I was searching tips and tutorials of creating surgical mask in Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) is that even though BBD team wants to make a tight mask so that polluted air would not get in the lungs, but the OHS website advice to have in the mask gaps. To have gaps in the mask is a good idea even though my team doesn’t agree so the customers can breath from it but I also think the gaps should be filled with filters so the mask can be efficient to use.

Before my team and I start putting materials together, we must study the design once again carefully, then draw borders on paper and put it on fabric to cut the fabric of the shape of the design on the paper. We should cut multiple ones just in case we miss up while creating the design. Also an important thing to keep in mind is the customers comfort in wearing it. Lastly testing the design after finish putting everything together is a n important step after designing the mask, meaning we should test every step the team creates, if one of the team members felt itchy or unable to breath while wearing it that means either start from all over or fix the part that doesn’t fit in the mask. Another thing to keep in mind is that having the surgical mask while designing the new mask can contribute to some ideas and creativity or it can be as a reference to a basic surgical mask. BBD is now ready to start designing and creating the mask based on the measurements and final design.